Facial care

November 15 2023

Marianne Brass

4 effects of pollution on your skin (and how to avoid them)

Do you think air pollution only concerns city dwellers?

We are all susceptible to the effects of pollution on our skin. Pollen, exhaust gases, factory discharges, fine particles, heavy metals... It doesn't matter whether they are of natural origin or linked to human activities, primary or secondary. In all cases, pollutants fuel oxidative stress, and therefore accelerated skin aging. Hence THE golden rule for protecting your skin from pollution: strengthening its function as a biological shield. Why is this so important? Because it’s the radiance and apparent youthfulness of your skin that are at stake.

4 effects of pollution on your skin (and how to avoid them)

1. Pollutants can sensitize your skin

Do you notice that your skin is more sensitive than usual? Does it have redness, tingling or discomfort? She can't stand her usual cosmetics anymore? First avenue to explore: the pollution of your environment.

Indeed, several studies suggest that contact with polluting agents leads to an inflammatory response in the skin. By attacking the lipids of skin cells, they alter the protective layer of the skin. Deprived of part of its shield, it risks becoming more vulnerable to external attacks. It dehydrates more quickly and reacts more strongly to external stress.

2. Air pollution can (literally) give you pimples

Clearly, the time when we thought that imperfections are reserved for teenagers is over. Today, even adult skin sometimes begins to “bud” overnight. If you are in this case, know that it can also be one of the effects of pollution on the skin.

How it works ? Certain polluting agents modify the biochemical quality of your sebum, one of the essential constituents of your precious hydrolipidic film. Ozone, for example, oxidizes squalene (a lipid that sebum is made of). This oxidation gives rise to by-products (including squalene peroxide) which can clog your pilosebaceous orifices. Consequence: comedones (blackheads, whiteheads, etc.).

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3. Pollutants can dull your complexion

Do you live in a particularly polluted environment? No longer wonder why your complexion tends to look gray. This is, again, a visible impact of pollution on the skin. City dwellers are often the first to complain about it – at all ages!

If you have a dull complexion, know that this phenomenon can result directly from the previous point. Indeed, the oxidation of constituents of the skin surface impacts the renewal of keratinocytes. Result: the rate of regeneration slows down. Dead cells, instead of being evacuated by new cells, remain on the surface of the skin. They are what give it this characteristic gray and blurred appearance.

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4. Pollution can make your skin age faster

It’s the icing on the cake… and the result of a whole chain reaction! Ultimately, in fact, the main consequence of pollution is to accelerate skin aging. It leads to an overproduction of free radicals, the same ones that fuel oxidative stress.

Concretely ? The skin gradually dries out, its collagen and elastin fibers deteriorate. Connective tissue is less elastic, which encourages the formation of wrinkles. Some skin also develops a tendency to hyperpigmentation (the famous brown spots). In short: if we do nothing to stem the process, the signs of aging accumulate.

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Clean your skin every day

This is the basics for maintaining glowing, healthy-looking skin! Cleansers are essential to loosen and remove pollutants stuck to the surface of your skin. Do you see the black film that pollution leaves on white garden furniture? Well, it's kind of the same principle.

Our advice: use a makeup remover oil every day (yes, even if you don't wear makeup). From time to time, also consider boosting your routine with an exfoliating treatment. It will help prevent excess sebum and encourage cell renewal.

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Protect your facial skin with an antioxidant cream

The primary function of a moisturizer is to strengthen your skin's protective barrier. It therefore slows down the natural evaporation of water, which gradually rises from deeper layers to the epidermis. And we know it: properly hydrated skin is better equipped to defend itself against external aggressions.

For even more benefits, choose a day cream enriched with antioxidant agents. These are active ingredients known to be able to neutralize free radicals. Remember: it is their presence in excess that causes oxidative stress and premature skin aging.

And don’t forget your eye area! He too can suffer from the effects of pollution on the skin.

Take care of your lifestyle

Beauty comes from the outside… but especially from the inside! Cosmetics are there to support the natural functions of your body. They give them a boost, but without replacing them. So, it’s up to you to act “at the source” to improve your skin’s defenses against atmospheric pollutants.

Drink enough water (between 1,5 and 2 liters per day).
Consume antioxidant foods (rich in vitamins C and E, polyphenols or carotenoids, such as carrots, apples, citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables).
Take care of your sleep to allow your skin to regenerate properly.
Wear sun protection adapted to your phototype when you go out.
And to go further, adopt an in & out beauty routine!

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4 effects of pollution on your skin (and how to avoid them)

4 effects of pollution on your skin (and how to avoid them)